title: Coronary calcifications and plaque characteristics in patients with end-stage renal disease: a computed tomographic study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We examined the association between coronary artery calcifications, atherosclerotic burden, and plaque morphology in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and non-ESRD patients undergoing 64-slice multidetector coronary computed tomographic angiography.
  
  
  METHODS
  The prevalence, extent, and severity of coronary atherosclerosis, calcium burden, and plaque morphology were determined in ESRD patients (n=48), and calcium score-matched (n=39) and unmatched non-ESRD controls (n=29) undergoing computed tomographic angiography using dedicated plaque imaging software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ESRD was associated with a higher prevalence of calcified plaques (55.9% vs. 38.3 and 26.9% in the non-ESRD groups, P=0.005) and higher plaque calcium content (43.7 vs. 34.5% and 33.9%; P=0.003). Nonetheless, the calcium score correlated well with plaque burden (r=0.403 in ESRD vs. r=0.433 in non-ESRD, P<0.001 for both), and the diagnostic association between the calcium score and atherosclerotic lesions was good irrespective of ESRD (area under the curve 0.771 vs. 0.804; P=0.574).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ESRD is associated with diffuse atherosclerosis and calcific plaque morphology. Nonetheless, the association between the calcium score and atherosclerotic burden is not affected by the presence of ESRD.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90502, USA.
authors.forename: Borut
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jug
authors.forename: Jigar
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kadakia
authors.forename: Mohit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Papazian
authors.forename: Arya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Derakhshani
authors.forename: Sheri
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koplik
authors.forename: Ronald P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Karlsberg
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Budoff
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012984:Software; D061205:Vascular Calcification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology